India wants to become a solar-powered super country. They have plans to improve their solar capacity 30-fold by 2020. One of the biggest plans is to promote the use of domestic solar panels and make them affordable for consumers. However, India’s buy-local rules could jeopardize their ability to do so because of World Trade Organization…
Albertsons and Safeway announced their $9.2 billion merger at the beginning of last year, but it took nearly a year to gain approval from The Federal Trade Commission (FTC). The FTC finally approved the merger after these supermarket chains agreed to close 168 stores in eight states to avoid monopolies in those markets. Albertsons and…
Amazon just rolled out a new program in Manhattan, New York, where customers can have items delivered to their home in one hour or less. If the program is successful, it could be added to several other large cities in the U.S. However, many people are skeptical that the one-hour delivery service will be a…
At the beginning of January 2015, the Obama administration began drafting plans for a 30-year transportation framework to support the growing population in the U.S., particularly in the south and the west. This ASCE report lays out a comprehensive plan, including U.S. investment costs, for creating new highways, roads, and bridges. Several organizations contributed research…
West coast ports faced a nine-month long work slowdown because of labor disputes between the Pacific Maritime Association and the International Longshore and Warehouse Union. There was even a short period of time where the ports closed. Thousands of companies had to make adjustments to their supply chains to keep business moving around the country….
According to the California Health Department, the presence of Listeria monocytogens was found in Shafter at an apple processing facility. As a result, Gala apples and Granny Smith apples from the facility are being recalled nationwide. The affected apples are sold under the brand names “Granny’s Best” and “Big B,” and are supplied by Bidart…
Businesses are always looking for cheaper ways to ship their goods to customers while choosing sustainable options. Nestle Waters is taking a proactive approach with propane-powered delivery vehicles. They are reducing their operations costs while also lowering their carbon footprint — something that consumers are starting to care about. Take a look at the way…
The Panama Canal has been the only route for ships to travel between the Atlantic and Pacific oceans without going around South America for over 100 years. However, Nicaragua just started construction on the Interoceanic Grand Canal of Nicaragua. It is a 278 mile canal through the infamous Magellan Strait that is going to cost…
Robots have been replacing human workers for decades, but research shows that there’s going to be a revolution in the supply chain industry. That’s because robots are getting smarter and cheaper. They can be programmed to do just about anything a human can do on the assembly line, packaging station, and many logistics maneuvers.
Fifteen years ago, the U.S. banned imports of beef from Ireland because of mad cow disease. Now, the ban is being lifted. This will boost the euro beef industry by millions of dollars, particularly in Ireland. The U.S. Department of Agriculture has performed strict inspections at beef production facilities in Ireland and found that the beef…